Pardon me for Prying
by Caila17
Summary: Set after Forgive me my Past. Prue and Piper, worried about Phoebe's future cast a spell, stuck in the future as we know it, will they be able to cope with not just the stronger demons but the tradegies they'll have to overcome sooner than they'd like.
1. Chapter 1

A/N

I'm a bad person but this kept floating around in my head so I decided to do my first Charmed Fanfic. I'm sure its been done already but there we are. It is my first charmed fic so if anyone has any problems with the way I'm writing the characters could you please let me know so I can get it right.

Enjoy!

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**Prologue**

Prue tucked inky black locks off hair behind her ears as she peered down at the old pages below. A slight frown marred her face as she flipped through, ice blue eyes scanning each page.

"Prue?"

She looked up at Piper who stood in the doorway, eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"What you doin'?"

Prue sighed, and looked at her sister properly, "I'm looking for a…spell" she said brightly.

"Prue"

"Ok, look, I'm worried about Phoebe that's all"

"Uhhuh. And your looking in the book because?"

Prue flipped through the pages avoiding Piper's gaze, "I wanted to check that it was ok, that we fixed it"

Piper threw up her hands, "Fix what Prue? We saved Phoebe from her past…and that's in the past. Its not like its gonna change"

Prue looked up and placed her hands on the book "Yeah she's safe from the past but what about the future Piper?"

Piper frowned "What?"

Prue shook her head "I just wanted to make sure that we stopped…after seeing Phoebe's past life I wanted to make sure that she doesn't end up being burnt at the stake again"

Pipers face changed with realisation. "ohh. But Prue" she sighed "That spell, it was a one time thing, it's gone. I don't think we can. And out of all of us"

Prue nodded "I know, Phoebe would be the one to create one"

Piper tilted her head to the side "Not to mention the power of three would be needed"

Prue closed the book "Look we need to do something. Just to make sure" she rubbed her forehead.

Piper shook her head and looked away and then looked at the book "What if…"

"What" Prue prompted "Piper?"

"Well couldn't we summon future Phoebe, try a future were she's happy and ask her how she got there."

Prue shook her head, "Two Phoebe's in the same place? Won't that be a bit confusing."

Piper narrowed her eyes, "Well do you have a better idea?"

"Actually" Prue said with a smile "I might"

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"I can't believe that we're doing this" Piper hissed at Prue as they stood by the door

"Shush, I'm trying to listen"

Piper threw up her hands, "This is ridiculous Prue, we can't do this"

Prue turned around and grabbed her sisters hands. "Piper we have done it. Now shush"

Piper shook her head and glared at her sister but was quiet nonetheless. After a few minutes she glanced at Prue. "I can't hear anything" she whispered.

Prue shook her head "Me neither" she agreed.

Slowly the pair opened the door and peered round the frame. Phoebe lay sound asleep on her bed.

"Now what" Piper hissed

Prue made shushing movements with her hands causing Piper to glare at her but move along behind her. They both stopped at either side of the bed that their youngest sister lay sprawled on top off.

Piper looked down at Phoebe's peaceful face "Do you think its working?" she asked

Prue shrugged "Its your potion" she pointed out

Piper glared at her than sighed "Fine, Where's the spell?"

"Ohh" Prue pulled out a sheet of paper with words scrawled across it "Ok here" she held it up so both her and Piper could read it and with the other hand touched Phoebe.

Piper touched Phoebe to and looked at Prue. "You sure about this"

Prue glanced at her "Positive, why?"

Piper shook her head "Just checking"

"Hear us now within this hour

Listen to the charmed ones power

The two that speak shall forward go

To our sisters future, let it be so"

Piper gave Prue a funny look before her vision blurred before her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

She knew that this would happen, that her sight would be obscured with that white floating feeling that had happened before in her jump to the future. Last time she had been lost in it, then shattered with a bump into the real world once more. This time the bump wasn't quite so grand when she found herself standing in the same room that she had left, in the same clothes.

She kept her eyes closed waiting for Phoebe to wake up and yell or Piper to say what had been in her eyes; that it was a pretty poorly worded spell.

Yet nothing came.

She opened them and glanced around noticing now that it was day instead of night. The room was empty, then Prue blinked. It wasn't just empty it was…a spare room of sorts. Curious she opened the wardrobe to notice that while there were clothes there, they were a mix of styles and sizes, the same with a few shoes at the bottom.

"Piper" Prue hissed loudly as she dared without bringing people upon them. "Piper?"

Becoming worried she peered out of the doorway and into the landing noticing a few differences. Becoming more concerned she stepped out and started to walk down stairs where she heard a noise coming from.

Suddenly a blond haired child shot past her giggling and she turned to follow him with her gaze.

"Prue?"

She turned back with some relief to see Piper. She raised an eyebrow at her sister who had her arms full with a brown haired infant with a cute little face and familiar green eyes. Then frowned slightly noticing the change of clothes, the lack of fringe and longer hair. She could see in Piper that she was noticing no change from the slightly confused and worried look that she was giving her.

"Why?" Piper asked pointing to her with a questioning look and then looking slightly panicked when the child wriggled and giggled in her arms.

Prue shrugged "maybe…maybe the spell worked differently for both of us, I mean if we tried to separate us from Phoebe…"

Piper nodded slightly not looking overly convinced.

Prue shook her head not really wanting focus on other reasons. "So is that…Melinda as a baby?" she asked smiling at the happy infant.

Piper pulled a face, "I'm not sure, I think the other ones mine too but" she let out a shriek as the baby disappeared from her arms in a burst of white and blue lights. For a few seconds she stood staring down at where the baby should have been, arms open in shock. Slowly her gaze lifted to Prue who had a slightly amused look on her face.

"Well," she said slowly "At least we can guess who the father is"

Piper's eyes suddenly lit up. "Leo" she called

Nothing

Piper looked at Prue with some terror "What do I do? She could be in Africa for all I know"

Prue smiled "Look, our powers grow remember. She's probably in the house or somewhere familiar"

Piper glared at her and started searching.

"Mummy"

The both turned to the older blond haired child.

"Chris wanted his blanket" the child said in a matter of fact tone of voice.

"Chris?" Piper questioned "Whose…" she whirled around to Prue "I have a boy?"

Prue stared down at the child "And what's your name" she asked gently

The child smiled proudly "Wyatt"

Prue nodded and looked at Piper "Another **boy's** name" she said with a look

Piper closed her eyes and opened them "But.. What about…" she trailed of looking at the boy. "Ok. Wyatt" she said the name slowly as though getting used to it. "Where's your little brother" she asked.

Wyatt looked at her solemnly for a bit then smiled and looked at a place on the floor. White and blue lights surrounded the place he was looking at and in the centre the baby from before looked up with some surprise then seemingly shrugging it of babbled in his own language to his brother, then promptly went back to inspecting his blanket.

Prue stared at the pair open mouthed and glanced at Piper who clenched her fists.

"Which one of them did that" she asked in a voice that was struggling to maintain calm.

"I don't" Prue began and then her mouth dropped slightly as her eldest nephew suddenly had a toy appear in his hand.

Piper threw out her hands in the familiar gesture of trying to freeze something. But the boys kept moving and playing.

"Piper, they're good witches. They won't freeze" Prue said in her sisters ear.

"Well it was worth a shot" Piper muttered.

Prue sighed "What year do you think it is"

Piper blinked and looked around for a clue. "T.V. on" she commanded at the television.

Nothing

"Not as far as last time?" Piper hazarded a guess.

Prue frowned "Phoebe isn't here anymore. There were clothes in the wardrobe but her rooms empty of her stuff"

Piper looked puzzled for a few seconds before strange noise from the stairs drew their attention.

Wyatt gave a delighted shriek and ran out of the room and Chris seemed to look up expectantly and gave the floor and thoughtful glanced. After pulling himself up he took slightly unsteady steps in the direction that Wyatt had gone showing he hadn't been walking for long. Curious Piper and Prue followed, smiling at the determined little boy.

They got to the stairs in time just to witness Leo stepping out of some kind of portal and with a smile picking of Wyatt and giving his a kiss on the hair. His eyes searched Chris and a proud look entered his face. He squatted placing Wyatt beside him and still holding the boys waist whilst holding out the other hand to his youngest son.

"That's it buddy" he said gently. "You're getting good at this" he praised.

Prue turned to look at Piper who had a smile on her face and a slight glassines to her eyes as she watched the scene that seemed to be a daily occurrence in the household.

"I'll go and see if I can find anything in the book" she said to her sister. "Go"

Piper shot her a thankful glance and walked over to her love. He smiled up at her, holding the two boys in his position. She sat on the floor next to him and stroked the little ones head as she watched Leo with their sons. She felt Prue walk by them but neither she nor Leo broke their gaze with each other, his happy and slightly questioning, hers filled with wonder and contentment.


	3. Chapter 3

Prue stepped into the attic noticing that many things had changed in here. Instead of all the magical aids being hidden away in a chest most of the witch craft was openly displayed. A map spread over a table with a crystal carelessly beside it. Herbs everywhere, the book on proud display. It wasn't so much a junk room that happened to be the hubub of magic in the house but rather a room that comforted her magic the second she entered it.

No witch hunts in this future then, she thought with some relief. But that didn't mean that it wouldn't happen in this times future either. She stepped up to the book and started to flick through not really sure what she was looking for.

Her eyes fell upon a laptop in the corner of the room. Curious and deciding it was probably the best way to find out what was going on she flicked it open and started it up.

2007

She took a deep breath, seven years into the future, and no indication of what had happened to her over those seven years. She'd at least had some clues last time, her dress, work but now there was nothing, and it scared her.

She shook her head. Phoebe, focus of Phoebe. She glanced once more at the book and then at the laptop trying to decide which would give her more answers. With a deep breath she typed in Phoebe Halliwell into the search engine.

And came up with something. Taking a deep breath and trying to remain calm she clicked on the first one that came to view.

Ask Phoebe.

She blinked and read over the text. Her little sister was an advice columnist, a very good one at that for the Bay Mirror. She felt pride rise within her and sat back. Ok so Phoebe was happy here, and not awaiting execution but how had it changed, how could she make sure that it still changed?

Xxxxx

"Have you talked to Billy today?" Leo asked as they sat playing some board game with Wyatt. Chris occasionally moving the pieces just to make the game a little more tricky.

She glanced up and then back down "Uh…Couldn't get hold of him"

Leo shot her a look "Her"

"Her, right. Of course." she smiled at him and buried her face behind Chris's head.

"Piper?"

She pulled a face and looked up

"What's going on?" he asked

She opened her mouth to answer. But Leo's gaze suddenly widened and he grabbed Wyatt and moved him whilst reaching out a hand to move Piper and Chris to one side. Surprised she turned just as an electric bolt crashed down beside where they'd been sitting.

"Prue" Piper shouted as yet another one came for them.

"Prue? Piper what are you" he ducked as another bolt came for them "Piper just blow him up"

"Do what?" she yelped

"Piper" Leo looked helplessly at her for a fraction of a second. "Wyatt, orb you and Chris to Aunt Paige"

"Who?" shrieked Piper

The little boy nodded and reached out. As his hand touched Chris' the pair orbed out.

"Leo where have you" she shrieked and froze the bolt coming for her as the demon started coming closer a manic grin on his face.

"Prue"

A bolt hurtling at them suddenly rebounded in the demons direction and he ducked. Piper breathed with relief as her sister stood at the stairs, the screamed a warning as another demon shimmered in behind her.

Leo looked deathly pale, staring at Prue as if he was seeing a ghost. He turned and grabbed Piper pulling her behind the sofa for some cover.

"Piper…what did you do?" he asked

"We…wanted to see if Phoebe would be ok in the future"

Leo looked confused "but" a bolt narrowly missed them. "Piper, focus on your anger, and aim at him."

"He doesn't freeze" she told him feeling useless. "Orb us out of here, Leo, please"

Something flickered in his eyes

"Prue?"

They turned as Phoebe stood in the doorway staring at Prue with shock.

"Phoebe duck" Prue shouted as a bolt came her way.

Phoebe looked confused and turned to look at the bolt as it came for her. Her eyes narrowed and she held out her hand ducking. The bolt missed her but one appeared in her hand and she shot one after the other at the demon, walking towards him steadily.

As she walked past a chest of drawers she opened up the top one and pulled out an athame. She suddenly flew into the air kicking him and shot her hand out in the direction of the demon that was occupied with Prue killing him with a bolt. The other one struggled up and she rammed the athame into his chest, causing him to disappear in a lick of flames.

She turned holding the athame and staring at Prue then at Piper. "What the hell is going on?" she asked

"We wanted to see if you're ok in the future" Prue said sheepishly

Phoebe exchanged a horrified look with Leo.

"Are Wyatt and Chris safe?" she asked after a few seconds

Leo nodded. "I sent them to Paige"

"Whose Paige?" Piper asked standing as Prue walked down the stairs.

Leo looked at Phoebe who sighed still looking at Prue as though she might disappear any second. Hesitantly she reached out for her sister and touched her as though expecting to go right through her. She suddenly threw herself into Prue's arms, holding her as though never wanting to let go.

Prue closed her eyes and held her. Piper shook her head

"What's going on" she asked in a small voice.

Phoebe drew back and looked at Piper whilst keeping her hand on Prue.

"Why are you both here?" she asked after a bit

Prue smiled at her "We wanted to make sure that you'd be safe"

Phoebe looked confused batting between her two older sisters "Why, why did you think I wouldn't be?"

"You remember" Piper asked looking at her "That spell that took us to the future and then after seeing your past life we worried"

Phoebe closed her eyes and smiled faintly "I hadn't thought about that in so long. I don't think we even kept tabs on that guy, certainly not since…" she trailed of glancing at Prue.

"Well what's happened?" Piper asked "I mean we need to know so we can make sure"

Phoebe smiled sadly "I think its best that you go back, before you see anything"

"I don't think they can" Leo said quietly

Phoebe shot him a questioning look

Leo shifted and sighed "Look they way you came forward, through a spell like that, Phoebe unless they were meant to be here, they" he said glancing up "in that time can allow or prevent spells like that, your past selves still had a lot of power to develop"

"Which means we're supposed to be here?" Prue asked

Phoebe shook her head, "We can override that now"

"No" Leo said "You of all people know Phoebe that when a spell is cast the only way to reverse it is to use the same power."

"Leo they can't be here" Phoebe said a touch of anger entering her voice "Not only will they know too much but" she shook her head "They can't survive here, the demons that come after us, one attacked the house, they know that something is different"

"We've fought demons before" Prue jumped in eyes narrowing

Phoebe shook her head "Not these kinds you haven't Prue, They're much stronger, either freed since we vanquished the source of interested in our power since we vanquished him"

Piper shook her head "The source?"

Leo bowed his head "Of evil" he said gently

Phoebe winced "Wait, you haven't gone up against the source yet, not had the demons sent from him?"

Prue and Piper shook their heads

"The Triad, have you heard of them" Phoebe tried

Once more Prue and Piper looked blank.

Phoebe closed her eyes "Prue can you Astral project yet?" she asked

Prue nodded "Yeah a while ago but" she shook her head "I still have trouble controlling it"

Phoebe nodded "Ok…has Bane broken out of prison yet?"

Prue looked surprised "No…he does" she glanced at Piper than let the smile fall "Not that I'd be happy about that" she said quickly.

"Hmm" Phoebe said

Piper shook her head "So you have that power then, the electric one?"

Phoebe smiled "No, I have empathy" she said gently

Prue shook her head "How does that make you shoot bolts of lightning?" she asked

Phoebe sighed "I can tap into people's powers through their triggers, anger, love" she smiled, "I just got it…again" she looked slightly amused, then lost the smile and glanced at Leo "So you think they're here for a reason?"

Leo nodded

Phoebe looked down "They I suppose you'd better know what's happened"

Prue and Piper glanced at each other as Phoebe held out a hand to each of them

"What are you doing?" Piper asked

"I don't know how to tell you" Phoebe said "But I can show you"

Prue looked surprised "Wait you can do that?" she asked

Phoebe smiled at them gently, "I think so" she said.

Piper and Prue exchanged glances and took a deep breath and each held out a hand to their sisters so that they were connected, forming the same shape with their arms that they had formed all those years ago when they attempted their first vanquish. Leo stood back, eyes filled with worry and sadness.

A blinding white flash

A handsome man caught Phoebe's kick

Piper stared down at Leo in surprise as he held her hand on one knee "Will you marry me"

The handsome man once more "Hi ladies my names Cole Turner"

Him creating a fireball in one hand, holding a knife as he kissed Phoebe.

"Why didn't you just kill me?"

"I love you"

A blue demon standing in among a strong wind, head tilted to one side as he regarded an aging man. Prue then Piper running out in front each receiving an almighty blast through the wall for their trouble, the pair lying in their blood.

"We lost our sister, how will we ever understand that"

"I see a call upon the spirit winds, I see another"

"And so our sister has passed into light"

"You saved the wrong sister, you saved me because I was your damn wife"

"I just thank god I didn't loose you too"

"I saw the damage that was done when they were exposed"

A funeral, Piper and Phoebe crying into their men's shoulders as a candle blew out. A woman sat behind them looking equally sad.

"Stop it stop it stop it. This is Prue's funeral for God's sake, can we at least burry our sister in peace, is that too much to ask?"

"We buried their precious charmed ones when we buried our sister"

Phoebe and Piper standing below the staircase holding out a hand to the other woman, a familiar blue light surrounding them

"there's always a reason for everything, which means there's a reason for this too. Your destiny still awaits" - Grams

We didn't tell anybody because we were afraid you girls would be denied your powers, your birthright"

"Now he's worried that this girl may somehow reconstitute it"

"Are you telling me that that girl. Our innocent is really our sister?"

"Paige, my name's Paige"

"The source"

"The source of what?"

"Of all evil"

The three gathered together in front of a hideous demon who threw a fireball at them. Cole jumping in front of Phoebe seeming to absorb it.

"Prudence Patricia, Penelope Melinda astra, Helen, Laura and Grace, Halliwell Witches stand strong behind us, Vanquish this evil from time and space"

The scene shifted Phoebe leading Cole in the underworld Latin chanting around them

"My life is with you and our baby"

Phoebe appearing in flames "Surprise"

Piper and Cole in the attic fighting neither winning, Piper trying to blow Cole up, Cole throwing energy balls

"Your both invincible this is just pointless"

Cole surrounded by crystals screaming as Phoebe cried

Piper crying as she sat on a table surrounded by her family, giving birth to her son

"This child will be the greatest power the world has ever seen"

A young man appearing "I'm from the future"

A baby in Phoebe's arms reaching out as Piper stood in front of a dragon causing the dragon to disappear.

Leo standing in robes "I'm an elder now"

The young man looking at Phoebe with some fear "Are you Wyatt's little brother"

"Chris is your son, Wyatt's little brother"

"I came here to stop Wyatt turning evil"

Chris running to Wyatt's side and gasping as a knife crashed into him, Leo screaming over him as his son disappeared and generating huge amounts of power, destroying everything in sight, destroying the man that had killed Chris

A baby given to Piper and her smiling up at Leo

"Baby Christopher"

"Looks like we didn't loose him after all"

Leo on the floor "I killed another elder"

"Nobody else has to know"

"Still I don't know what to do, I don't know how to find my way"

Leo jumping off the bridge, his robes melting away as he does so

"What the hell just happened?"

"He has fallen from grace, Destiny has spoken, he's made his choice, he's mortal now"

"What am is supposed to do? I can't orb, I can't go to the elders for information"

"There's another battle on the horizon. One unlike you've ever seen before, One you won't see coming, and one you might not survive"

A blond girl staring up the stairs at Piper, Phoebe and Paige "I wanna learn how to do that"

Piper staring in horror at a man across the street, then in the attic

"Magic won't protect him for long, I'll find him. I always do"

"Why?"

"I'm not about how, or why. I'm simply when."

Leo stepping away from piper who has tears in her eyes

"The Ultimate power"

The three girls standing in front of two younger ones, blue from them, red from the younger ones streaking to meet and crash in the middle of the distance.

Piper in a wedding dress, Phoebe in hers, Paige in hers each smiling and happy.

The manner exploding leaving nothing but a wreckage that no-one could have survived.

Piper threw herself away as she fell backwards panting and gasping in horror. With blurred vision she turned to look at Prue who lay on the floor but just stared blankly ahead. Piper opened her mouth and nothing came out, she turned to look at Leo wildly wanting answers, wanting someone to tell her that what she had seen was a lie and all that was implied was just her over-active imagination.

But that sea green gaze just watched her sadly the same eyes as the young man in her vision had, the ones that widened in shock as a knife plunged into his stomach, who had cried out in such pain.

Lost she looked at Phoebe who watched her steadily, at tear running down her check at the memories the premonition had stirred within her.

"That can't" she whispered in horror, she shook her head swallowing tears and found herself staring past Phoebe to a wall that looked different slightly from her own time, probably because…

Oh god

She turned to Prue once more who seemed to be stunned, frozen even. Her sister, her big sister…and they…what replaced her with…

A sister. Another sister.

She gasped in a breath, unable to take it all in

"When?"

Piper glanced at Prue who had asked the question in a seemingly detached way, still lost in her shocked thoughts.

Phoebe closed her eyes "Prue"

"When?" Prue asked harsher

Phoebe pressed her lips together and swallowed tightly. "Less than two years" she whispered.

Piper bent over almost feeling physical pain at the idea. Not even two years? How? How could this happen, how could this be allowed to happen? And after, even more pain? Her son? Her husband?

Blindly she reached for her older sister in the agony of imagining that one day when she reached, nothing would be there.


	4. Chapter 4

The manner was silent as the night, seemingly too quiet for its normal state. At the table a dark haired woman sat, head resting on one hand to the side as she flipped through a photo album eyes lost in the pictures before her.

The door went and she looked up to see a confused Paige in front of her.

"What is it? You said that you were closer to home and would call me if you needed any more help and then no-one came to pick up Wyatt and Chris…"

Phoebe smiled sadly "Sweetie sit down"

"Phoebe what's going on?" Paige repeated slower and more demandingly.

"A spell went wrong" Phoebe said gently

"So? We've had spells go wrong all the time"

Phoebe shook her head, "Not like this"

Paige frowned and sat down "What's happened" she said her voice becoming more gentle and concerned

Phoebe smiled and sighed looking down "Six years ago, Piper and Prue cast a spell"

Paige shook her head "What kind of spell?"

"One to see the future"

"Wait we can do that? I thought…" Paige trailed of as realisation struck "So…They're here" she asked with disbelief shading her voice

Phoebe nodded

Paige smiled "I get to meet Prue" she asked with some wonder

"Paige" Phoebe said "They know about Prue. What happened"

Paige's eyes widened in some horror "What, what about future consequences Phoebe"

Phoebe shook her head "Leo thinks they're here for a reason, which means they have to stay for a while" she shook her head "Paige they had to know"

Paige shook her head "They're gonna hate me"

"Paige"

"No" Paige shook her head, "Phoebe, Piper hated me because of Prue. I'm not saying that they would just…" she breathed out "For them its just happened. I'm a symbol to them that it has, that it will." she shrugged "I'd feel the same if it were me"

Phoebe put her head in her hands "I don't know what to do" she confessed.

Paige was silent for a bit "What did you tell them"

Phoebe shook her head "I chickened out. I gave them a premonition instead. They would never have listened in little stages. Too stubborn" she said with a shake.

"Seems to be a strong trait" Paige said lightly

Phoebe looked at her slightly amused "Yeah"

Paige shook herself and perked her head "So, should I stay away or on hand, here?"

"Well they have to meet you at some point. I mean, Piper still doesn't know how to blow things up and Prue"

"Super witch" Paige said in a voice that was torn between teasing and envy

Phoebe rubbed her forehead "Prue died and we advanced a lot in that year and a half. She did, her martial art skills. She was a quick learner Paige, quicker than me but at the moment, that knowledge its not up to what it needs to be"

Paige frowned "Yeah like demons attack here often. Its their form of a gun in the mouth"

Phoebe slammed her hand on the table "Paige, I'm telling you they knew. Minutes of them being here we had an attack. They know something has changed and they damn well know it may be their only chance to take us out with ease"

Paige watched her sadly and stood, leaning down to hug her sister "I can get Billie to drop by"

Phoebe shook her head "She still needs time, after what happened to Christie, this is probably not the best situation for her to help with"

Paige sighed "Look Wyatt and Chris can stay at mine tonight, let you lot catch up without them" she cast a meaningful look upwards "being too overwhelmed by it. If you need me yell, I'm an orb away"

Phoebe nodded and then seemed to inwardly shake herself "I'll take some time off work" she muttered. A faint glint appeared "Piper will at least be psyched to see how P3 does in the future.

Paige furrowed her brow "Huh, I remember hearing it was an almost instant success"

Phoebe smiled "Yeah. But that was because Leo brought a band there because their manager was dealing with a demon. Piper was so pissed at him, she wanted to make it on her own"

Paige raised an eyebrow. "I never knew that" she said gently

Phoebe shrugged "It never occurred, I've never thought about it." She looked down. "I keep trying to remember so I can…I dunno relate to them somehow"

Paige looked puzzled

"Prue and I, we had a bad relationship before we became witches. And then…and then in a fight I could protect myself the least out of them. She was my protector" Phoebe said "they even came here to check I didn't burn on the stake"

Paige nodded "I remember Piper telling me about that"

"The point is back then I had a certain place with them, I was a certain person. God Paige they don't even know Cole yet and after all I went through with that…how can I explain that I became queen of the Underworld and carried the child of the man that ordered Prue's death?"

Paige gave her sister a look "Yeah, and you killed him. Many many many times" she said with a teasing look.

"Paige, Prue saw things in such black and white terms, I don't know if she'll forgive me"

Paige looked torn for a bit "Phoebe your with Coop and your happy now, right?"

Phoebe met Paige's eyes with a quizzical look "Yeah?"

"And after all I've seen and heard from you are you telling me that Prue was never "under the influence"?"

Phoebe chuckled slightly "No, there were times"

"Phoebe" Paige said leaning forward "I think you're being too hard on yourself."

"Yeah" Phoebe asked hopefully

Paige nodded "Yes. I do." She took a deep breath "I'm sure that Prue will be proud"

Phoebe smiled and hesitated "Prue won't be angry with you. She protects what she has with everything, she protects her family"

Paige nodded slowly eyes unsure but hopeful "Yeah" she asked, her voice slightly hoarse.

Phoebe pulled a face "I'm an empath, I know all" she made a funny motion causing Paige to giggle. They fell into a comfortable silence.

"Ok, this is slightly weird" Paige said quietly. "I'm so used to Piper heading the table"

Phoebe raised an eyebrow "This will be different for you" she said in a wry voice.

"How so?"

Phoebe leant forward conspirator like "What do you think of when you think of Piper?" she asked

Paige waved her hand "I dunno uh…determined, powerful. Strong"

Phoebe nodded "You can see her being a family matriarch?"

Paige nodded "Yeah"

"Ok, Piper six years ago, desperate for a normal life"

"Sounds familiar" Paige teased

Phoebe gave an acknowledging nod "unsure of herself, not exactly in love with Leo, having a thing with Dan"

Paige pulled a face "The one that sounds very dull?!"

Phoebe giggled "Uh huh. Usually uses freezing to duck out of things. Prue was the one that would fight until she dropped for us, Piper and I fought for her but other then her sisters Piper had nothing to fight for" Phoebe shook her head "I used to think that Prue was the strongest person I knew" she shook her head "But Piper…its just back then Piper never had to show it, to use it."

Paige frowned "I can't imagine Piper like that"

Phoebe smiled "Remember when Grams came, the first time, when Piper was pregnant with Wyatt?"

Paige nodded and then winced "Really?"

Phoebe bobbed her head "Maybe not as bad as that but in that direction"

Paige pulled a face "This is gonna be so weird"


	5. Chapter 5

Prue sat at the kitchen counter, hands wrapped around a mug of coffee, staring blankly into space. A few of her clothes had been kept in the manor and she found it slightly comforting that there was still something of her here.

She hated it. Even the kitchen was different. Her room had become Pipers and the room that she had been in before…it wasn't her style. She could smell someone else in the room and felt like a guest in the house that she had grown up in.

On her way downstairs she had peeped into Phoebe's room and still found it empty. If her sister was about then she was hiding. And she had seen no sign of the other girl, the unknown sister. Truly Prue wasn't sure if she would ever be able to get her head round that; she could vaguely remember a time that her mother had "put on weight". But more than that she remembered the sadness that had been in her mothers eyes months before her death. To give up a child…But to have an unknown person replace her…

What would happen? Was she supposed to go back and allow this to all happen? Was there any way for her to start her life here? The power of three once…at that she trailed off. The power of three was here already. If a demon attacked was she supposed to just stay out of the way?

"Oh sorry I didn't…where are the sisters?"

Prue jumped nearly spilling her drink and turned to see a young blond woman, a student if she were any guess, looking around rather impatiently.

"Who are you?" she asked remembering the attack last night.

"Oh er, I'm a friend of theirs" the girl said sounding distracted and smiling brightly "I just need to see them for this tiny problem"

"Are you in trouble?" Prue asked concerned and raising herself from her seat.

The girl sighed "Look I don't know who you are and I really don't want to bother you. Can you just tell me where Piper is or any of the sisters, I can't find Phoebe anywhere"

Prue opened her mouth to answer.

"Billie" Phoebe said in that overly happy voice, the one that Prue knew she used to get rid of people in the nicest way. "What are you doing here" she asked flicking a glance at Prue.

The girl or Billie glanced at Prue "Can we talk?" she asked

Phoebe sighed "Its fine, she's…" Phoebe trailed off "Just trust me, she can help you too"

Billie looked suspicious but chose to ignore the odd behaviour "Demons" she announced

Phoebe looked puzzled "And?"

Billie winced "They're doing something. I went to magic school, or rather the abandoned parts"

"Wait" Phoebe interrupted "Billie what were you doing there? You know that Leo and the others are clearing it up one stage at a time. You could have been..." she broke off. "Why would you want to go?"

"I was…I find it easy to think there" Billie muttered looking uncomfortable

Prue watched the pair and frowned inwardly knowing that guilty look, she'd worn it when she'd been forced to tell her sisters about her trips down to the lake. She saw Phoebe glance at her uncomfortable and was oddly glad that Phoebe remembered.

Phoebe shook her head "Ok" she looked at Billie questioningly "But why do you think"

"There are loads of demons there" Billie said "More than I've ever seen, even when that guy was resurrected. They're planning something, oracles are there and everything. If nothing else we need to clear them out. Leo and the others wont be strong enough to clear them out"

Prue swallowed down her irritation and tried to follow the conversation, hating that she wasn't up to speed on what was going on, that she couldn't quite understand who this person was and exactly what she was talking about.

Phoebe looked thoughtful "The demons working together? Did you see anyone, I mean anyone we know or are they perhaps just trying to hinder future generations?"

"No, if there was a big bad, they're keeping themselves out of sight. But it's a pretty dumb idea to try and hold onto magic school – especially when the husband of a charmed one is involved." Billie paused "Why do you think that some bid bad is happening? Last I spoke to you, you were all so sure that the big fights would be over for years to come, I mean come on whose left in the underworld?"

Phoebe pulled a face and looked at Prue "Uh well". Prue sighed. Phoebe clearly looked as through she was searching for a convenient lie.

Billie narrowed her eyes "What's going on?"

Phoebe sighed with annoyance. "Prue Billie, Billie Prue" Phoebe said by way of introduction.

Billie shook her head blankly "Prue I don't" her jaw dropped "Wait your sister Prue?"

Phoebe nodded "Piper has no memory of the past seven years either."

Billie looked stunned "Huh". She looked thoughtful for a few seconds. "I guess this means I'll look into it on my own, give you guys time to...whatever your doing. Besides it should be pretty easy, just check out where they are and roughly how many"

Phoebe sighed " I guess but you come and tell us if things get"

"I'll do it"

Phoebe whipped her head around, looking torn between annoyance and, Prue noticed with some hurt, relief. "Are you sure?" Phoebe asked

Prue shrugged. "I need to do something, I cant just sit here all day and think about..." she shook herself. "Besides, it's what we do right?"

With a deep breath Phoebe nodded "Ok" she looked at Billie "Do you have the return potions?" she asked

Billie tore her gaze away from Prue "Yeah, but don't you have astral projection?" she asked

Prue shrugged "I'll do better with the potion" she said, she looked at Phoebe "Do you think we should tell Piper?"

Phoebe looked up and then looked worried "I don't know if we should leave her, she was really upset". Prue noticed a guilty look passed her face as soon as she said it, as though she were over thinking every word between them. God she needed to get out of here for a bit, clear her head. Work out the frustration.

Prue nodded "Well Billie and I will go, you look after Piper"

Phoebe looked uncertain then nodded.

Prue felt some tension ease away at just the thought of demon ass kicking "Where are the potions?"

"In the attic, on the shelf, they're all labelled" Phoebe said still looking unsure.

Prue nodded and left feeling oddly relieved to be out of Phoebe's way.

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"Billie"

Billie turned to glance back at what was probably her closest friend "Yeah"

Phoebe still looked horribly uncomfortable and Billie knew she should say something, but with all that had happened lately…

Phoebe took a breath "I thought you were going away, for a break"

Billie shrugged "I was, I am but you need me here"

Phoebe smiled gently "Billie there will always be a reason. And we've got Paige to orb you back if we need you. And phones" she said with a hint of amusement

Billie nodded and turned to leave "I'll go once I do this. Your…Prue seems to need some time…"

Phoebe nodded "Thank you"

Billie walked to the door

"Wait"

Rolling her eyes she turned back

Phoebe walked up to her "If things go bad"

"Phoebe"

"No Billie, if things go bad, call Paige"

Billie's eyes widened "Won't that be weird?" she asked

Phoebe shrugged "You'll be alive" she replied firmly.

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Prue turned as Billie came in and wordlessly handed her a return potion, pocketing her own in case they got separated. Billie threw a potion at their feet and a rising mist covered her senses for a few seconds.

The next thing she knew they stood in a hallway and Billie was pulling her behind a post. They waited there hearing footsteps approach.

Prue leant her head back and tried to ignore the voice that screamed at her for doing what would one day kill her.

"How long have you been doing this for?" she asked in a whisper

Billie glanced up with some surprise "Almost a year and a half"

Prue closed her eyes, same as her. "How do you know…" she paused unsure of how to group them together in a way she could manage.

"They're teaching me" Billie replied with a faint smile, "Teaching me all they know, or were until…"

Prue frowned "Until" she prompted

Billie made shushing motions with her hand and Prue instinctively snapped her attention back to the demons disliking the mysteries that kept appearing.


	6. Chapter 6

Piper sat looking at the room around her, hating instantly that she was in what had been Prue's room. Had she taken it heartlessly when her sister had…when she'd…Piper shook her head at the thought, wanting desperately to escape this room and at the same time terrified that if she walked into the hallway she would have to face this hideous future.

She stiffened at the sound of a child whimpering and hesitated unsure what she should do. In that future that she'd seen in Phoebe's premonition there had only been her children, so the whimpering was from one of the boys. Probably the youngest if she was any judge, and no-one was coming to help her.

Terrified that she would do it wrong or that the minute she walked in the child would know that there was something different about his mother she meekly put her head round the door of her sons room. The blond headed one wasn't there and she had a momentary panic, then assumed that maybe Leo had him, or that the child had orbed to one of his aunts.

She swallowed the pain that the boy wouldn't really consider Prue to be in that category.

The youngest, Chris stood in his cot and his sniffling subsided once he caught a glimpse of her. With his bright, tearful eyes looked on her he held out his arms expectantly.

"Out" he told her, clearly wanting to be out of his cot.

Piper walked forward then stopped staring at those eyes, remembering the man that had stood in front of Phoebe and swallowed with terror as his identity had been revealed.

Her son, this baby had died already.

Not really realising what she was doing she picked the little boy up and held him in her arms, tightening her grip, wanting to never let go. She breathed in the scent of him and collapsed onto the seat behind, rocking the child and herself. She felt the little arms go round her neck.

She pulled away and putting a one hand on either side of her sons waist, stood him on her lap so that she could study him. Her son looked solemnly back at her, his tear streaked face curious. She felt her heart melt at the sight of him, so trusting, and then giggled slightly when he reached out and patted her cheek, as she assumed he must have seen others doing in an attempt to make her happy.

She took a deep breath, aware that she was probably frightening her child who had been through so much. She hugged him to her side and stood up taking him to the changing table, thanking that she had been forced to do this before so that she wouldn't be a complete failure of a mother in terms of changing diapers.

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Little Wyatt sat playing with his toys downstairs under Auntie Phoebe's watchful gaze. His Daddy had disappeared in blue orbs with Auntie Paige and he had that look, the one when he was going up there, to that world of clouds and light where people wore gold cloth and always looked at him funny.

And told his Mummy and her sisters what to do.

Wyatt glanced at his Aunt who looked as though she was thinking hard and about very sad things, a bit like his mummy had looked when Daddy had disappeared. But Daddy had told him this morning that nothing bad would happen, just that another Auntie was here and they had to see how long she would stay.

But something bad had to have happened because Mummy wasn't acting like Mummy. His Mummy was the strongest person in the world, maybe even stronger than Daddy. She made demons run away and disappear and she was never afraid. She told people off when they told her what to do. He wasn't allowed to do that though.

But mummy had screamed and looked helpless. And he hadn't wanted to go but Daddy had told him to and he had to look after baby Chris. Sometimes Chris was annoying but Mummy and Daddy said that he had to look after him, and Chris was ok sometimes. Like now he was getting more interesting and would take the toys that Wyatt stole back instead of just crying, and play with him. Sometimes Chris would do magic as well. Not as good as Wyatt but Mummy said that Chris would get better. And then she would look a bit sad.

Wyatt felt that weird feeling whenever Chris was crying out for someone. He'd done it loads when he was really little and had just got here. It had been really annoying. But Wyatt had learned the difference between really scared and just wanting something. This feeling was different.

Chris was calling out for him.

Wyatt tilted his head to the side considering this. Chris had only ever called for him when he'd saved him and brought him back to Grandpa's house. But this was Chris wanting him to come, not making sure that he was ok. Feeling happy and important that he was who Chris was calling for Wyatt closed his eyes and concentrated.

Mummy was holding Chris in her arms and crying a little bit. She looked confused and worried. Chris turned his head to stare at Wyatt and in that second something seemed to be shared between the two boys. Slowly Wyatt walked over to his Mummy and patted her leg gently. She seemed a bit startled and looked down at him with chocolate brown eyes.

"Its ok" Wyatt told her trying to remember what she said to him when he felt bad. She smiled weakly and shifted Chris to one side so that he could sit on the other.

"Yeah?" she asked him

Wyatt nodded and then looked at Chris who was nestled in the crook f her arm. He was almost too big to be held like that now, and soon they'd be fighting when she couldn't hold the pair of them at the same time.

"Dada" Chris said looking at the pair of them expectantly.

Wyatt looked up at his Mummy "Daddy's back soon" he told her and felt happy at the relief in her face. Chris also looked satisfied for a few seconds before he started to wriggle and look at Mummy hopefully.

"Chris want down" Wyatt told her after she simply tightened her hold.

"Oh" she looked surprised and put the pair of them on the floor and then looked uncomfortable.

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Phoebe sat staring at her computer, feeling utterly lost. Part of her was replaying this mornings conversation with Prue, trying to see if she was too harsh, or if Prue had felt pushed to go. Should she have let her, did it seem like she was trying to get rid of Prue?

She looked up at the sound of orbing to see Chris and Wyatt in front of the pile of toys that Wyatt had abandoned a few moments earlier. Chris seemed to be quite content to play and Phoebe felt guilty at the occasional suspicious looks that Wyatt would throw in her direction.

Less than a minute later Piper came flying downstairs and stopped when she saw the boys. Phoebe felt some amusement at Piper's worry, remembering how terrified she'd been until she'd stayed up for a night inventing spells to help her deal with her sons orbing. She would have to teach them to Piper and the feelings that went with the spells.

Piper looked at her and then sat down with some relief.

"Do they always do that?" she asked.

Phoebe smiled "Occasionally" she said, not wanting her sister to know that Chris almost never orbed for the reason that he was a very content child and was happy to be wherever he was put. He seemed to have inherited Piper's loathe for doing anything magically when it could be done normally. Wyatt did it less now that all had been well in the house and usually only did it when he wanted to get away.

Piper looked at her uncomfortably "Where's Prue?" she asked

"She's with a friend at magic school" Phoebe replied, not expanding out of her self doubt that letting Prue go had been the right thing to do.

"Magic school?" Piper asked

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Prue and Billy were walking away from the demons that stood gathered around in a circle in one of the rooms. Billy had to yank Prue's arm and make weird gestures to get her attention and to convince her to leave.

Once they were far enough away Prue shot Billy a curious glance

"Why aren't we using the potions?" she asked

Billy sighed "We need to tell the others" she said.

"Others?" Prue asked and then stopped as she saw a weird light covering the passageway. "What's that" she asked stopping dead

"it's a barrier" Billy said in a matter of fact tone.

"Why is it there?" Prue asked irritation appearing in her voice.

Billy sighed looked about. There was a loose door hanging from a room and she narrowed her eyes causing the door to fly off its hinges and slam into the barrier.

"What are you doing" Prue hissed as the barrier rippled.

Billy sighed "Look magic school is undergoing repairs and a cleansing, the witches doing it probably don't know they have demons in the depths of the school"

Prue looked at her in shock "How could they not know?" she asked with some annoyance

"Magic school is huge, no-one really knows how big it is. I lived here for a while and I never got to the outside of it"

"You lived here?" Prue asked "Before or after the demons?" she asked suspicious

Billy shrugged "In between, sort of" she said "But anyway, they were here on and off and this place has huge resources. Plus the witches have only started clearing it. We have a way to go and…" she trailed off as someone appeared

"You have demons" Billy announced seeming pleased that she didn't have to explain anything else to Prue.

The witch narrowed her eyes at Prue for a moment before turning her attention back to Billy "Are they a threat?" she asked

Billy shrugged "We can tell you where they are and can guess at how many. As for a threat" she shrugged, "Who knows in these times"

The witch glared at her and then nodded "We haven't seen Leo" she said, an uspoken question lying in her voice.

Billy glanced at Prue "I think that he has other worries at the moment" she said


	7. Chapter 7

Paige sat in her front room, tapping her pen on the paper and staring off into space, feeling lost. She'd left Leo "up there" and had a feeling that Piper would loose it with her when she regained her memory, part of her even hoped that she would.

It was so strange to have to stay at her home when she was tying to think through magical problems, stranger still to not be throwing ideas around with her sisters, not to watch Piper fiddling, needing to do something as they planned, or Phoebe with that calm thoughtful look on her face. Harder still Henry was out of town at his families house for his sisters wedding in a few days, something she was still expected to go to. She missed Henry and just wanted someone to reassure her that this would all work out in the end.

In truth she had no idea what she was looking for, to suggest a way to send Prue and Piper back into the past would give the impression that she wanted the reminder of the "original" charmed ones gone as quickly as possible. She could make a list of demons that might be brought back to have the last attempt at the charmed ones but that kind of list was more suited to Phoebe, who had not only been doing this longer than Paige but her experience in the Underworld as the Queen might have given her access to some knowledge as to who would pose the greatest threat.

It was the pretence of a task that Paige most needed, not one that would actually take up her mind. Truthfully she was scared. for all her day dreams about meeting Prue this was not how she'd planned it. meeting Prue's ghost or going to the past and watching her older sisters interact was more along the lines she'd thought that day would happen. This...Prue would see her as her replacement, no matter what Phoebe had said. And she could easily remember Piper's reaction to her when they'd first met. There had been times when she'd been so tempted to walk away from it all, but there had been those little glimpses of how the future would be, this future and this closeness. This Power that they shared and had evolved into, and the ability to teach that power to others, she wouldn't give it up for anything.

But this awkwardness was so uncomfortable, this not knowing what to do. Paige had always been gifted in helping others, especially at hard times, but this seemed somehow beyond what she was capable of handling. She shook herself, she'd thought that about the situation when she'd first met her sisters, with the lose of Cole and the back and forth loses of Leo, she'd wondered how to say the right thing. Yet following her instincts had always worked.

So what was she supposed to do when every instinct screamed that she should be with her sisters?

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Prue blinked as the kitchen reappeared in front of her eyes. Billie's potion had taken her to wherever it was that she was staying and the girl hadn't given specifics. The sound of voices came from the sitting room and she wandered in, at the last moment praying that this wasn't the wrong set of sisters.

Piper looked up immediately "Are you ok?" she asked terror in her voice.

Prue nodded "Yeah I'm fine" she looked at Phoebe who watched her quietly. "There are demons at the school just as Billie said, and they are definitely gathering for something"

Phoebe closed her eyes and shook her head, Pipers reaction however was a bit fiercer.

"You sent her to find demons? Phoebe what's wrong with you" Piper yelled, "She's our sister for God's sake not some expendable scout"

"Piper i asked to go" Prue said, watching Phoebe closely, part of her wondering of this was true.

Piper stared at her and shook her head "Why, are you that desperate to throw your life away Prue?" she yelled

"I had to do something" Prue nearly shouted back, she caught a glance of Phoebe with her head in her hands "Pheebs?"

Phoebe shook her head and looked up "Piper, Billie is a very strong witch, she would not have let any harm come to her, plus Paige was listening for a call"

Piper looked away angrily

Prue frowned "i don't-"

Phoebe smiled gently "Paige is half whitelighter, she had some whitelighter powers, like orbing and sensing those she knows and cares for"

Piper shook her head and stood up, walking slightly away from the topic but stil close enough to hear, watching her sons play in the other room. Prue watched her go and took a deep breath "How...how do we have another sister?" she asked.

Phoebe looked at her carefully then sighed. " Mum's affair with Sam, there was a baby born but Mum and Grams"

"They were afraid" Prue said remembering the premonition.

Phoebe nodded "They took Paige to a church just after she was born, and gave her to a nun working there. She was adopted, she had no idea about magic"

"Like us" Prue said thoughtfully

Phoebe nodded "Her parents died when she was a teenager in a car crash, she found us while you were alive but never came to us when she found out Mum was dead."

Prue looked down "How did...how did you meet her?" she asked

Phoebe hesitated "She came to your funeral" she said softly. "She gave us her condolences and when we touched.., i had a premonition of the demon that..the demon attacking her"

Prue looked at Phoebe closely "The demon that killed me you mean"

Phoebe nodded

Prue sighed "So what can she do, i mean if we're going to be fighting with her"

Phoebe gave her a strange look which Prue ignored "She has a mix of orbing things and telekinesis, she can orb herself and others and recently learned to heal those she loves" she blinked "Speaking of, Piper?"

Piper leant her head against the door frame "What" she asked quietly, not taking her eyes from the boys.

"You need to know how to control your power" Phoebe said

Piper turned around "I can control it Phoebe" she said evenly

Phoebe sighed "You have another power"

Piper shook her head "I have?"

Phoebe smiled and walked over behind Piper, "Do you know how many demons attack your boys?"

Piper stiffened and tried to turn to look at Phoebe "What are you..." she looked at Prue who walked so that she was standing beside the pair.

Phoebe put her hands either side of Pipers head and closed her eyes "Your boys have had their powers stolen, blamed themselves for Leo being forced to leave. The elders have taken Leo away from you, always prevented any normality for your family"

Prue watched as Pipers face changed, from confusion and hurt to anger. There was a determined look in her eyes and her mouth drew together firmly. She raised her hands partly in anger but mostly in disbelief and desperation to stop hearing.

"Phoebe would you just" she made a furious gesture with her hands...

...and the table in the room they'd just been speaking in blew up and shattered.

Piper's mouth dropped open and she covered it with her hands as Phoebe stepped away. Piper brought her hands together as palm to palm as though in prayer with her forefingers still on her face. "I did that" she asked stunned.

Prue let out a breath in between a gasp and a chuckle "That is a kick ass power" she said looking at the devastation caused.

Phoebe walked to the table "Let the object of objection become but a dream, as i cause this scene to be unseen". A swirl of white magic and the table was back to the way it had been.

"Isn't that personal gain?" Prue asked coming forward.

Phoebe shrugged "If it's used to reverse the effects of magic or demon fighting we generally get away with it. Discretion is the key" she shrugged.

Piper remained where she was "Is all that true?" she asked she asked appalled

Phoebe tilted her head from side to side looking a tad guilty, "Sort of" she said half apologetically "But most of that shouldn't happen again"

A swirl of pink lights erupted next to Phoebe and Prue immediately waved her hands.

"No Prue wait"

The handsome man that had appeared went slamming into the wall and slid down it

"Ow" he reached up to rub his head "Haven't had that reaction for a while" he said looking at the three women before him.

"Prue" Phoebe said in her telling off voice "Oh Coop, i'm so sorry, it's just she didn't know who you are" she said kneeling next to him.

"Still don't" Prue said as Piper joined her keeping an eye on the children.

Wyatt walked in "Uncle Coop" he said happily

Piper stopped in her sudden attempts to wave the boy back "Uncle?" she asked exchanging glances with Prue.

Coop was standing by this point and looked questioningly at Phoebe "Spell?" he asked in an amused voice.

She shook her head "Not exactly" she looked at her two sisters "Coop, meet Prue" she said "Prue this is my husband"

Coop blinked "Does this mean you haven't told them?"

"Coop not now" she hissed and he looked vaguely disappointed. She shook her head at her sisters questioning looks "I'll be back in a bit" she said "Just yell for Coop if you want anything, he'll bring me back ok?"

Before the pair had time to agree she and Coop had disappeared.

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Can you believe that Phoebe's married" Piper asked as she and Prue sat around the book they'd brought downstairs.

Prue shook her head "Do you remember the premonition?"

"Not likely to forget it" Piper said dryly

Prue shifted a little uncomfortable "Right, but we saw Phoebe with another guy...uh...Cole?"

Piper nodded "A demon" she said after a few minutes "Do you think he's one?"

Prue shook her head "Appearing in a pink swirl? Bit of a ruin on the image don't you think? No its just Phoebe said that her life was with the demon and their baby"

Piper froze "But she doesn't have a baby, she can't, who'd be looking after it? Besides surely we'd have seen it?"

Prue shrugged "I don't know, so much has happened..."

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Phoebe and Coop appeared in her Condo with her glaring at him most of the time.

"Coop, that was my sister?" she yelled the minute they stopped.

Coop looked confused for a few moments and then his eyes widened in realisation "Prue as in...oh Phoebe i'm sorry" he walked forward and wrapped his arms around her, "Its just i was"

"I know" Phoebe said and pulled back to look up at him "Me too, but..." she shook her head looking at a spot on the wall, once she'd focussed her thoughts she looked back at him. "I can feel them Coop, Piper's so lost and scared and feels so guilty, and Prue...she's hurt and...part of her is giving up. How can i tell them that...it just doesn't seem right"

Coop nodded "Does Paige know?" he asked

Phoebe shook her head, "No, she's as affected by this as them"

Coop looked uncomfortable "Phoebe one of your sisters needs to know, especially if more attacks are going to be coming"

"I don't need to be as close to vanquish a demon any more, and i'm not as defenceless now, Coop i"

"Please" he said tilting her chin up. "Please just tell someone, i need to know that you're safe" he paused "That our little girl is safe"

Phoebe closed her eyes "Ok" she said "I'll tell Paige and maybe Leo"

Coop nodded then frowned "Where is Leo?"


	8. Chapter 8

Leo walked through the door, a nervous look upon his face. He shut the door quietly and could hear the distant murmurs of voices from the kitchen. Part of him hesitated in the foyer, torn between wanting to make sure Piper and the boys were ok, and not wanting her to find out exactly what had happened "up there".

He walked to the kitchen slowly and listened to the voices. Prue and Piper. For a second he was five years ago, dreading telling them the newest developments in some magical case. Prue had always been the boisterous one when it came to accepting orders.

It didn't escape his notice that Piper had taken that attitude above and beyond in the past few years.

He turned away from the kitchen and walked upstairs to what had been Phoebe's room, closing the door gently behind him.

"Paige" he said softly.

A few seconds later his sister in-law appeared in front of him. The sight or her orbing in what could only be mid-step made him smile as he thought of the surprised look on her face the first few times she'd orbed and the frustration that she could only orb back into the same place.

"Leo" she said, some relief clearly on her face "Where have you been, I left you up there ages ago" she said a slight scolding tone entering her voice.

"That's what I need to talk to you about, do you know where Phoebe is?" he asked

"No" Paige said some distaste in her voice "I've been home. All day at home" she stretched her arms slightly, then dropped them as a thought occurred "Am I allowed to be here?" she asked

Leo shook his head "Do you know where Phoebe is, she needs to be here"

"Not your wife?" Paige asked eyebrow raised

"No, not like this, Piper…she's not going to be pleased"

"All the more reason to tell her Leo"

Leo looked away "The elders are concerned that this is some master plan. After all, Piper and Prue are a lot more vulnerable, it distracts you and Phoebe. Too many people to protect with not enough power"

Paige nodded "Ok"

Leo took a deep breath, "So…we made a deal"

Paige narrowed her eyes "Piper's gonna kill you" she muttered

"No" Leo said "She can't any more"

"Leo, what did you do?"

He sighed "The elders don't want to risk that this new balance will be disturbed, in fact they are willing to offer anything for it"

"Leo" Paige asked again

"They gave me back some…powers that I shouldn't have" he said looking uncomfortable.

"Like?"

Leo tilted his head with a sigh "Look, its just temporary ok, until this mess is sorted out"

Paige shook her head "What if this never gets sorted out Leo? This could be the new destiny. Nothings changed, what if they simply split and Prue is meant to be here?"

"Because she died Paige. She is not supposed to be here"

"And if they're meant to change things?" Paige asked in a small voice

Leo looked at her properly, and realised how tired his sister in law looked. It was disconcerting. Paige was always the happy bright one, and she simply looked drained at the moment.

"Paige, you need to rest, you can't keep worrying…"

"I can Leo" she said with some weight. "I'm so scared" she whispered "I'm scared that tomorrow I'll wake up and all this…it will be a dream. And I…" she shook her head and looked away as tears glistened in her eyes "I just…I don't want that to happen" she said, her voice a little firmer.

"You should go and see Henry" he said gently "Take a break from worrying for a day, maybe by then Phoebe and I will have talked to Prue and Piper, and you'll be ready to face it"

Paige shook her head "What if there's an attack, or Phoebe needs to be here? I can't stay away" she muttered.

"I'll get Phoebe if its needed"

Paige narrowed her eyes suddenly "Ok mister, what did you "temporarily" get this time?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Phoebe appeared in a puff of white light in the middle of Prue and Pipers debate, much to her amusement. The pair stared at her for ages in disbelief, both frozen in surprise.

"Is that what that potion does?" Prue asked stepping forward.

Phoebe shook her head "Spell" she said simply "It costs a fortune in petrol otherwise, all this demon fighting"

Piper nodded and glanced at Prue, a question in her eyes

"So" Prue said catching the look "That's your husband?"

Phoebe smiled, a soft look appearing on her face "Yeah, that's Coop"

The eldest sisters exchanged a look with each other "But not your fist husband right" Piper asked suddenly.

A flash of some emotion passed over Phoebe's face but disappeared before it could be studied "No, Cole was" she said

Prue nodded at that "A demon"

Phoebe tilted her head "Half human" she protested "and ex husband" she added.

"Ex as in still keep in contact with him?" Piper pushed

Phoebe looked around herself "Uh, not exactly no, its er complicated" she turned around with relief as Leo walked in "And Leo, where have you been" she asked clearly glad of the subject change.

"With Paige" he said and then glanced at Prue, "She's gone to be with Henry for a few days"

Phoebe looked disappointed "Oh" she said softly

"She looked exhausted" Leo said firmly. He turned to the other two "How are you?" he asked.

Prue nodded looking thoughtful and distracted.

"Uh Leo"

He nodded towards Piper

"I…can I talk to you for a bit" she said

"Of course" he replied feeling uncomfortable that his own wife felt the need to ask for permission.

"Great" she said nodded for him to go "I'll talk to you two in a bit" she said as she followed her husband out.

Prue watched her go "So what's Coop" she asked.

Phoebe looked a bit embarrassed "He's a cupid" she said

"I remember you having a thing for the last one we met" Prue said "How did you meet?"

Phoebe now looked a tad redder "The elders sent him to me"

Prue raised an eyebrow "The elders hooked you two up?"

Phoebe nodded.

Prue winced "isn't that"

"Embarrassing? Sort of, but then…" Phoebe shook her head "Its probably one of the only things I can think of where they have been right. Plus we didn't know it so we thought we had a forbidden love thing for a while"

Prue nodded "Right but about this demon that you married, why does it look like it was a dark ceremony and you had demon powers?"

Phoebe closed her eyes wishing she's stayed at home.


	9. Chapter 9

It was midnight and Phoebe and Leo stood in the main hall of magic school. She drummed her fingers on the table as he rummaged around in the stack of books he had built up.

"How did the talk go with Piper?" she asked

"It was hard" he said "She had a few questions. I think the easiest one was the question "how do I ground the boys""

Phoebe smiled faintly. "Yeah not looking forward to that problem"

To her annoyance, probably unfairly so, he didn't take the hint. "How was the talk with Prue?" he asked scanning a passage.

"It could have gone worse" she paused "I imagine it could have gone better but..." she trailed off and shrugged. "I guess that's what I get for marrying a demon" she tried to joke weakly.

He shot a look at her "Must be bringing up a lot of memories."

She nodded "For you as well i'd imagine"

He sighed "I guess I never realised how upset I was with Prue's death"

She shit him a curious look.

"Of course it doesn't compare and I was your whitelighter but she was my friend. It always seemed an unspoken agreement not to bring up the pain." he hesitated "I think that was wrong of us"

Phoebe nodded "I know what you mean. I forgot stuff, little things but they seem so important now. I forgot how she looks when she's interested in a subject, how flustered she'd get when she didn't know the answer. That she had a different coffee to us. Silly little things. But hers. You know?"

He nodded "If Piper and I have a daughter she insisted we call her Prudence Melinda"

Phoebe raised an eyebrow "You don't seemed thrilled by the plan"

"Its not that I don't want to honour Prue its that, I don't want any child to feel like they have to match up to some expectation. God knows I would have screwed one child up with that. If a child were named for Prue it would be out of some duty and honour and what would be worse – if the child ended up a spitting image of Prue or nothing like her"

Phoebe smiled "I did think about calling mine Prudence, but I think your right. You should talk to Piper before that little girl is conceived mister"

He nodded and glanced back down at the books for a second, then his head flew up. For a second Phoebe felt a warm glow, sure that the last hint had made the penny drop.

"Duty" Leo murmured "That's ringing a bell. It has to be something that connects now and then. Was there a threat that disappeared or seemed to give up around that time?"

"No" Phoebe said shaking her head in thought "I don't think so anyway. You were around at the time as well though" she said slightly accusing.

Leo smiled faintly, "Yep and I had to focus on bar inventory, getting Piper back and occasionally helping out whenever Piper allowed it"

Phoebe sighed and nodded "Fine"

"Ok so I think that the best plan is to start at the beginning"

"Are you kidding me Leo?"

Leo shook his head "Someone has to know you all, to plant a suggestion or to manipulate the events. Here, now your more vulnerable than ever with all four of you and this threat would have had years to build himself up. So go through it. Who was the first you fought?"

Phoebe thought "Uh...Jeremy I guess. We vanquished him, then the hand thingy but we vanquished them. Then the shapeshifters."

"Right I remember that." Leo said "and then" he looked up "Wait, why are you thinking about baby names?"

Phoebe smiled sheepishly and but her lip "How do you feel about being an Uncle?"

Leo stared at her for a second and then his face melted into its sweet smile "Phoebe" he reached over and gave her a hug "That's wonderful"

She looked a bit happier as she pulled away "The timing isn't" she said softly

"The Halliwell's seem to have perfected that" he joked "Is Coop excited?"

She nodded "Very"

"I'm happy for you Phoebe, you've wanted this for so long..." he paused "What did Piper say?"

Phoebe shrugged "Uh...the spell happened before I could...you know...tell Piper and Paige"

Leo frowned "You should tell them, they are your sisters even with this" he gestured vaguely with his hand. "going on"

Phoebe shook her head "It feels like i'm saying "haha look i'm happy""

Leo shook his head "They wouldn't act like that Phoebe. And Paige should know as well. We all should. If for no other reason we need to know in a fight."

Phoebe nodded "Its just, this isn't how I imagined telling people"

Leo reached over for her hand "It's a gift Phoebe. To tell all your sisters, to have them share your joy. It's a gift". He stood. "Start now"

She looked up at him bewildered "Huh?"

Leo smiled "We need Prue and Piper to remember any small or seemingly unimportant facts. Your too...old" he backed away at the look "I meant it was too long ago. You and Paige have different experiences recently, that broad knowledge is needed. To work out who the threat is we need you to work together."

Phoebe looked at him "You want to start now"

He glanced at the clock "ah, guess I got caught up" he looked at the books with some bafflement. He looked at Phoebe "Uh, do I go to bed or to the sofa?"

Phoebe frowned "I thought you said the talk wasn't that bad"

"Well" he winced "I got confused when she asked about my powers and ended up telling her that I temporarily had them again"

"Right" Phoebe said patiently

"So she took that to mean I was working for the elders again"

"Uhuh"

"So I left"

Phoebe blinked "You left?"

"Well I thought she might blow me up. I'm not technically dead any more, I didn't know if I would stay blown up"

"Leo" Phoebe whined "At what point did you orb out?"

"Well I told her I wasn't and then she demanded to know how I knew they weren't going to boss me about and then I ended up telling her that I was an elder and that I got...chucked out."

"That's not what happened"

"It sounded better than telling her that she was dying and they took my memories. Anyway she seemed really mad so I told her someone was calling me and orbed"

Phoebe stared at him "I'd take the couch"


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry once again for the wait - if anyone has been waiting! I have redone a few chapters so that it makes sense and so that i dont go off in an entirely different direction. Please enjoy :)

"Hello"

Paige jumped and glared at Phoebe in the mirror. "I hate that spell" she muttered.

Phoebe shrugged, "Wow you look nice"

Paige smiled "Do I look like the sophisticated sister in law?"

Phoebe winced "The wedding"

Paige froze and whirled around. "NO. I cant leave now, they all saw me – i'll be the selfish woman, the hated relative. You dont want that for me"

Phoebe rolled her eyes "Relax, we can wait until tomorrow"

Paige looked relieved and let out a breath, then frowned and tilted her head to the side. "Why? Whats happening tomorrow" she asked in a slow suspicious voice.

Phoebe looked around and sat down. "Well"

"Phoebe?"

The two sisters glanced up as Henry walked in, his eyes darting between the two in a look that was both frustrated and worried.

"I can stay for the wedding" Paige announced in a chirpy voice.

Visibly relieved Henry nodded, "So what is happening?" he asked, "Other than Prue being back" he clarified when Phoebe shot Paige a questioning look.

"Leo thinks that this whole thing as to be someone who has been in our past, that there has to be a connection between then and now"

Paige nodded, "Makes sense I guess"

Phoebe took a deep breath, "His idea is that we all go through it together, Prue and Piper having clear memories of the past and us two with our demon knowledge and knowing what is happening now"

Paige took a breath "So all of us working together?"

Phoebe nodded.

"You ok?" Henry asked Paige, watching her worriedly. "It's a lot to deal with"

Paige nodded "It's weird, all this time i've wanted to meet Prue and now that I know I will..." she paused, "I guess it's nerves" she said with a shrug.

"It's not surprising sweetie" Phoebe said. "But your are part of this family and this is your destiny as well. Nothing changes that." she paused "Besides it gives us a chance to see what it would have been like, youngest against the oldies in kid arguments"

Paige raised an eyebrow, "What makes you think I would have sided with you" she asked teasing.

Phoebe put on a hurt face, "I was cool"

Paige laughed, some tension easing out of her.

Henry smiled at his wife and turned to his sister in law, "How about you? Are you holding up?"

Phoebe nodded slightly, "I'll be happy to have a days break from this" she confessed, "Coop and I haven't had much time at the moment and he's been so happy about..." she paused

"About?" pushed Paige

Phoebe smiled "I'm pregnant"

Paige's eyes lit up and she rushed over to her sister, hugging her so that they fell backwards on the bed.

Henry laughed and shook his head "Congratulations Phoebe" he said then turned to Paige "If I vidio-taped you too we could make a fortune" he said with laughter in his eyes.

Paige reached over and gave him a playful swipe, "That's my sister and my niece" she said in her school-mam tone. She leaned back letting Phoebe sit up. "What did Piper think?"

Phoebe shook her head, "You, Leo and Henry are the only ones who know. And Coop of course" she added.

Henry smiled "Listen, Phoebe is you need a break come to the reception tonight. You and Coop. It's a buffet so you'll get fed"

Phoebe hesitated.

"Leo can call for us if its needed. You could even pop back and put some protection spells and wards up. But you look like you need a break Pheebs.

Phoebe smiled and looked suddenly younger, "I'll see if Coop can make it. Crystals are probably the best bet right?"

Paige nodded "You'll probably have to tell Prue and Piper so they dont move them around."

Phoebe nodded, "Yeah" then winced "You night want to redo your hair"

Paige groaned. "You are helping me" she said waggling a finger at Henry.

He took a step back "You want me to help you with your hair?" he sounded panicked.

Paige narrowed her eyes in thought.

"Ok, I'm so leaving" Phoebe said with a laugh and muttered her spell.

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Piper stared at the album in front of her. There were so many people that she didn't know. It was strange to see pictures of Darrel get fewer and fewer and then vanish entirely, to see this Cole Turner feature in more and more pictures and then suddenly disappear. What had been really strange was her wedding photo. With her Mum.

She glanced up at Prue who sat reading the book of shadows, and then at the two boys who were playing some kind of make belief game. Then there was Leo who sat at the table with a pen and paper looking rather nervous.

"Why is Mum in the wedding picture?"

Prue's head shot up and she stood up to wander over. Leo looked heavenwards in some annoyance.

"The elders granted her the chance to see your wedding, she became corporal on our wedding day until midnight"

Prue and Piper exchanged looks.

"You were all so happy. Personally its much better when your mother comes than your Grams. She does tend to forget that when she's summoned its for your benefit, not so that she can relieve her matriarchal glory days." He caught their looks "Not that I don't like her its just...she's the more difficult to handle"

"Wait" Prue said "You make it sound like they visit all the time. Surely this was one of those special occasion things?"

Leo winced and squirmed a little "Well they are your ancestors and their knowledge and expertise is occasionally needed, especially with children coming along and none of you having any experience of how to juggle being a witch and a mother."

"So we could summon them now?" Piper asked

Leo shook his head "It depends, your powers in your time aren't quite at that level yet. If Phoebe or Paige cast the spell then you would be able to have them walking around as if they were still alive. But..." he sighed, "I'm not sure how your magic is working at the moment Piper. It may be an idea to not use it unless you absolutely have to"

"But you can go out and get powers whenever you please?" she asked with some sarcasm.

"Piper it's not like that" Leo protested.

"Are you going away again Daddy?" piped up a little voice.

They all turned around to see Wyatt holding Chris' hand.

Leo took a deep breath "No buddy, i'm not going anywhere. I only have powers whilst your aunt Prue is here. I am staying here"

Wyatt's blue eyes still looked very suspicious as his gaze darted between his family.

"Where are Aunt Paige and Aunt Phoebe?" he asked sullenly

"They're at Uncle Henry's sisters wedding" Leo said carefully, "They'll be back tomorrow"

Piper whirled on her future husband "They're doing what?" she asked

Leo sighed "Wyatt play with Chris upstairs in your room"

"Daddy"

"Now Wyatt" Leo said his voice taking in a slight edge. With a last glare Wyatt and Chris orbed out.

"Stop orbing when you can use the stairs" Leo called. He looked back at Piper "This is hard for both of them. Paige doesn't know where she stands and Phoebe is running around trying to please everyone. Paige was already seen at the wedding and Phoebe needs a break for a night. They will both be back tomorrow."

Prue shook her head "Phoebe should be here" she said "If she needs help she should be with us"

Leo shook his head "She is struggling being around you both"

Piper gave him a look "Don't be stupid" she said. "She's our sister why"

"Phoebe is an empath. She keeps feeling both of you, your pain, your confusion, your feelings of betrayal. It hurts her"

Prue and Piper exchanged looks "Wait Phoebe has been picking up on our thoughts?"

Leo shook his head "No your feelings. With Piper it is a little easier – your feelings are dimmed thanks to a potion that you took a few years ago to ease Phoebe into her new power but Prue never took such a potion."

"I could take it now if that would help" Prue said

Leo shook his head "You can't."

They both gave him a strange look.

"Something has to happen in your future. Prue cannot be blocked from an empath" Leo said, his voice rising slightly. "Besides she has good control of it now, it's probably more to do with the preg" he broke off with a wince.

Prue's eyes widened "Phoebe's pregnant?"

Leo sighed "Yes"

Piper sat down "Did I know?"

Leo shook his head, "She was coming over here to get the family together. She doesn't know how to tell you. She feels guilty that her life is moving on and that you'll see it as a way of not caring"

Prue winced and sat down next too Piper.

Leo sighed "I think she also realises that this time she's the one who has to protect the two of you. And part of her wants to prove that she can."

Prue frowned "But we saw her fight those two demons. Surely she knows that she's a powerful witch"

Leo smiled "Well Piper's active powers have always been the most useful in a fight, and Paige's have been a great defence. Phoebe had her active powers temporarily taken from her at a time when you all started to rely on your active powers, perhaps a little too much. It was this pulling away from the combined power of three to separate powerful witches that caused the last few demons to become a large problem. Phoebe was always the best spell caster but" he sighed "There was almost two years where all she could do was use her martial arts skills – largely akin to what you remember. To go from being a powerful force to the most negligible of the charmed ones was a shock"

Piper sighed "How did she lose her active powers?"

Leo sat opposite them. "Your were pregnant with Chris, and also having to deal with adult Chris." his eyes held a strange expression, one that was a mix of love and anger, "Paige and Phoebe were picking up the slack and Phoebe had a vision that she would have a child, a daughter. She desperately wanted that. A family. I think after her relationship with Cole went bad she truly believed that she had lost her chance. She started to use her powers to aid her search of that life – a husband and child. Her powers were stripped at a magical tribunal. She has to earn them back"

Prue frowned "In the future we saw..."

"You saw that Phoebe would use her powers to punish the guilty. Phoebe has her visions, her empathy because her past self was bad" Leo said frankly. "These are powerful but they also come with a price. Phoebe has had many trials with her magic. She is probably just coming out of them"

There was a long silence.

"And Paige?" Prue asked

Piper and Leo looked at her questioningly.

"I mean Paige would have been the only one fighting with active powers for a time. And we have all had problems with our powers."

Leo nodded, "Paige is a witch, a white-lighter and the wife to a cop. She was once an only child without any family. She is terribly independent" he said with a ghost of a smile, clearly remembering something. She struggles to find her identity, her place in the world"

Prue nodded "I can understand that."


	11. Chapter 11

AN

I have updated without leaving it six months. Yay for me!

Thank you to those who have reviewed. I will try update quicker as I am focusing on this story the most at the moment. So thank you to Wybenormal93, blueyblonde, lizardmomma, charmedmarie and especially ladyshard for the comments, especially as I was too embarrassed in the last update to dare ask for reviews! Hope you enjoy.

Prue sat at the table, drumming her fingers in a rhythm that was irritating to her own ears. Piper and Leo were upstairs helping the boys with what she assumed was a typical morning routine. She had almost laughed at the panicked look that Piper had thrown her way.

So today was the day. Paige. She'd heard so little of this sister other than what Leo had really said last night. What did Paige expect of her?

She stared at her own drumming fingers in annoyance and pushed the chair slightly away from the table.

Phoebe would be a mum she thought with some amazement. Somehow she had always imagined Piper being the first, then herself with Phoebe being the last...well in the grand order of things that had sort of worked, just...she was dead.

What did she say when they walked in through the door?

A creak on the stairs made her whip her head around in time to see Piper and Leo descending the stairs, Piper with Chris and Leo with Wyatt. The kids were placed among toys and seemed pretty happy with it.

"Is Wyatt not playschool age?" Prue asked

Leo sighed, "Wyatt tends to get a little to magical when something is going on at home. Besides it's probably best thatwe keep the boys close if there's some big plan underway. Made that mistake a few tim..."he trailed off at Piper's look. "They're both fine" he said a little defensively, "It's a learning curve"

Piper looked a little peeved and turned around to Prue, "Are they here yet?" she asked

Prue raised an eyebrow at her, "No piper, that's why you can't see them"

Piper pulled one of her faces at Prue who returned them with a sweet smile.

They were all startled a little when the key turned in the lock.

For a few moments there was an uncomfortable silence as for the first time all the daughters of Patty Halliwell stood in the same room together. Beside her Prue felt Piper stiffen a little, mostly out of nerves Prue thought. It didn't escape her notice that they were facing each other like opponents and she immediately turned to the side a little to make that seem less obvious, although she then felt silly for even thinking it.

Calming herself down Prue allowed herself to study the pair as they came forward. Phoebe looked better she thought, more relaxed. It was good that the day away with Paige had given her a rest she thought swallowing down a little jealousy that Paige was able to relax Phoebe. However much it made her feel uncomfortable she was starting to realise that she should take some comfort in the fact that her sisters remained well looked after when she was...not around?

Her eyes flickered to the woman whose face she had seen in many photographs around the house. Thankfully she had seen pictures of her scattered about too. She sighed inwardly at how self obsessed she sounded. But she blinked a little, surprised to see that, in this light, there was a little of herself in Paige's features. Paige, catching her looking actually gave her a nervous smile. Prue wasn't sure why she didn't fully smile back when it actually made her feel a little less uncomfortable.

"Hi" Paige said, clearly a little emboldened by Prue's half smile and gave a sharp move with her hand which was probably meant to be a wave. She nodded a little in the silence and then glanced at Phoebe.

Phoebe was looking at Leo who when they all looked at him was clearly trying to mouth something at her, he stopped when he saw that they were all looking.

"What are you doing?" Piper asked, clearly a little glad to focus on something else.

"I...thought that Phoebe and I could go and get the book of shadows to help..." he trailed off at seeing the horrified looks from all sisters at the idea of Paige being left alone with Prue and Piper "...and Paige could come as well..." he trailed off again clearly worried that Prue and Piper would feel excluded.

Piper and Prue exchanged a look and Piper closed her eyes with slightly amused exasperation, "Leo told us that you're pregnant" Prue said with a small, hesitant smile.

Leo shifted a little "Never mind" he mumbled looking at the floor.

Phoebe looked a little like a deer caught in the headlights "Oh well I uh....I meant to tell you but..."

"It's ok" Prue said "It's really good"

Piper nodded, "Yeah Pheeb's we're happy for you"

Phoebe nodded "Good, well great I guess"

There was an awkward pause.

"Shall we start?" Leo said after a few seconds.

"Yeah, uh we probably do need the book actually" Piper said looking at Leo again.

"Paige?" Phoebe said

Prue watched the two, they seemed to have picked up how to read each other. She wasn't quite too sure how she felt about that.

Paige looked a little unsure "Really?"

Phoebe nodded.

Paige cast a glance at Piper looking for something and then seemed to remember that Piper barely knew her at the moment.

"Book of Shadows" Paige called.

The book appeared in her hands in a burst of white lights.

Piper raised an eyebrow while Prue tilted her head in approval.

"Must save a lot of time" she heard herself say.

Paige threw her a very grateful look, "Can do" she replied

There was another silence.

"We should sit" Phoebe announced suddenly startling them all. "And then we can tell the witchy tales"

Xxxxxxxxx

"This is getting us nowhere" Prue said after a few hours. They had gone over most demons that they had faced, made lists of those with whom it had not been a simple vanquish and still nothing was adding up.

Plus she felt a little small at the moment compared to the two witches sitting opposite her.

She knew it was all to do with experience and growing into both powers and confidence that made one into a great witch. But her list of warlocks and demons and such had seemed tiny compared to Phoebe and Paige's. It had irritated her a little when Phoebe had shown she had forgotten some things.

There had been a decided awkwardness around the whole thing. They had all tried to take a year of their witch lives, Prue with the first, Piper with the second, Phoebe the third, Leo the fourth, Paige the fifth and then Paige, Phoebe and Leo had just brought up anything they felt relevant. There had been some big gaps in their stories, especially in the year of Prue's death.

They were all too busy dancing around each other to get any true answers.

No-one replied but it was pretty clear that they all felt the same. With a sigh Phoebe mad a movement with her hands indicating that she wanted the book. She placed it on her lap and whispered a few words under her breath. She remained perfectly still, the book open on her lap and her hands above it.

"Phoebe we already tried_" Leo said with a sigh. "We should attempt_" he broke off this time for a different reason.

The pages begun to turn. Not like in the attic where they flipped a few times when Grams did it, but like a wind had picked up and the pages were being flicked through back and forth at some speed. A slight glow was coming from Phoebe who still hadn't moved in response.

"Uh, Pheebs?" Prue said reaching out for her youngest....younger sister.

"Uh, don_" Paige begun

"she's_" Piper started in response.

Prue never heard the rest of what they were saying. The light around phoebe enveloped her as well and she saw nothing but light.

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"She's not going to do anything" Piper responded with annoyance.

Paige ignored her and watched closely. She remembered the wind from Phoebe once from years ago and twice recently.

Phoebe was about to go into a vision. But of course Piper had to get touchy and Prue ignore her.

She sighed, perhaps that was a little unfair, but after the last few hours did they really believe that she knew nothing about magic?

Piper stood up suddenly when the light from Phoebe flashed over her and Prue and they both slumped to the floor unconscious.

Paige frowned "That's not happened before" she whispered.

Piper lurched forward, "Prue?" she asked, her voice quivering. "Phoebe?"

Leo knelt down beside her as Paige came forward. "They both seem fine" Leo said after a few seconds.

"What happened?" Piper asked a little wild.

"Mama?" Wyatt popped his head round the corner obviously hearing the panic in his mother's voice.

"It's alright buddy" Leo said gently. "Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Prue are doing a spell. It's all ok"

The blond headed boy's gaze dragged over them all with a little suspicion and then the small head nodded and disappeared round the corner again.

"Are you looking after Chris?" Leo asked loudly as Piper went to question him.

"Yes" came the bored answer.

"Leo" Piper hissed, "We need to find out what's wrong"

Leo raised his head and Paige shot him a worried look. Leo frowned and sighed.

"You've both seen versions of this. You", he said pointing at Piper, "At our wedding and you" he indicated Paige, "with the long premonitions she sometimes has."

"So?" Paige asked, not really caring if she seemed dense and slightly relieved that her sister, who seemed to know it all, couldn't remember at the moment and make her feel particularly blond.

Leo huffed, "They once shared a bond, which for reasons i'm not too sure of has allowed them to link their powers.

The two looked a little stumped.

"I believe that they have astral projected into a vision of Phoebe's"

Piper and Paige shared a look. "But Phoebe was trying to find information on what...." Paige trailed off. "Oh god get them back what if they bump into this threat?"

Piper shared her look and glared and Leo who shook his head, "I can't do that, you two are the ones that could if anything but i sure as..." he glanced at the corner Wyatt had gone "heck can't"

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Hope that you enjoyed the chapter. Please review let me know what you think and if it's going fast/slow or just plain weird!


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